Sunday, November 22, 2015

Did anyone pay attention to the episode after the first five
minutes? The showrunners could have probably shown us monkeys playing with
feces and most fans would have been happy. We finally got an answer to the
Glenn question. HE’S ALIVE! I was dead
wrong. I thought there was no way he survived falling off the dumpster. Those
who thought he crawled under the dumpster were proven correct. Here’s my issue;
not killing Glenn cheapens the show and the initial emotional response of the
other episode.

I was as happy as anyone when the opening sequence of tonight’s
episode was revealed. It was a complete surprise. I truly thought we would get
information on Glenn at the end of next week when Daryl, Sasha and Abraham came
back through the town. Scott Gimple is certainly keeping us on our toes this
season with all the different twists and turns. I truly thought the next time
we saw Glenn he would be a Walker. I didn’t think there was any logical way he
survived the fall and the horde surrounding him. Logically he shouldn’t have.
There were a ton of zombies around him, he fell down one person was on top of
him. Any number of the other zombies should have been on him biting his head or
other exposed parts. Are we now supposed to think Glenn and others of the main
group are always safe? I knew Glenn was at least safe for the remainder of this
episode. The scene where Enid pulled the gun on Glenn had no tension. I knew
she wasn’t going to pull the trigger, even with the ominous music in the background.
They wouldn’t keep Glenn alive from the dumpster and then kill him from a
gunshot in the same episode.

Glenn has always been one of my favorite characters and I’m glad
he is still alive, but not at the expense of the show overall. It seems there
are now certain people who are untouchable in the show. I know certain things
happen in the comics which say otherwise, but will the showrunners have the
guts to pull the trigger on fan favorites from now on? Probably so, and next
week’s mid-season finale will prove if this is the case. Not everyone is making
it out alive next week. Many will probably be Alexandrians, but at least one
should be a fan favorite. I don’t want a main character to die, but I think one
is going to perish and balance the scales for Glenn.

The rest of the episode was anti-climactic after the reveal
of Glenn being alive. I had to rewind because I wasn’t focused on what was
happening on the television. It was a huge bombshell to drop at the start of
the episode. I enjoyed the rest of the show, but nothing compared to the start
of the episode, until the end. There were other good moments. The sequence with
Spencer trying to climb past the horde was intense. Rick proved he still doesn’t
trust the Alexandrians. Tara response to him was priceless and was perfect for
the situation. Rick needed to pull his head out of his ass. While the
Alexandrians are untrained, they still are people who are worth protecting. Yes,
Spencer was an idiot for trying to climb across, but Tara didn’t hesitate to
try and save him because she has integrated herself within the town. Rick hasn’t
yet, he still views himself as an outsider.

Rick is quickly going to have to rely on the town after the
events at the end of the episode. The church tower falling on the wall is going
to make next week an action packed thrill ride. The first half of this season
has been nothing short of spectacular, even if I don’t agree with Glenn being
alive. The mid-season finale doesn’t look like it will be anything short of
amazing. All of those Walkers crashing the town will mean many people could
potentially meet their end. Carl might be the most likely with the Walkers and
Ron after him.

Ron seems to be more like his Father than his Mother. He wants
to get back at Rick and Carl. Rick for killing his father, and Carl for taking
Enid away from him. The Enid part is small and petty for the world they are
living in, but probably not to Ron. He wants to strike back at something because
of the loss of his father. Carl isn’t helping matters with the way he treated
him during gun training. I would have wanted to punch Carl if he talked to me
that way.

The entire episode was wrought with tension. Either from
Rick trying to prepare the wall and the Alexandrians. Morgan hiding the wolf in
the basement and Carol finding out. The Walkers outside the gate. Maggie
wondering if Glenn was still alive. Ron trying to find a way to get bullets
for his gun, and possibly hurt Carl. All of these stories suddenly get put on
hold while the town has to survive the zombie horde on the rampage.

Tonight’s episode was bookended very well. The audience got
confirmation Glenn is alive and well, only to see the town suddenly in grave
peril. Who knows if the group will be able to drive the Walkers away and save
the town. I think they will be able too. I don’t see the the group going on the
run again. They are going to be able to build the wall again, only to have to
defend it against the wolves during the second half of the season.

It was a good penultimate episode before the mid-season
finale. I enjoyed it, even if I don’t agree with the choice to have Glenn
alive. I’m extremely glad he is, I just think it is the wrong choice for the
show. What do you think about the choice for Glenn to be alive? Do you think it
matters for the show overall, or am I making a mountain out of an anthill? Comment
and let me know what you think.